Today I worked with two woods native to Hawaii, Koa, which I have worked with before, and a new and rare wood, Hawaiian Sandalwood.
I can’t tell you much about Hawaiian Sandalwood other than it is one of 4 potential species within the Santalum genus. Other Santalum species are found on other Pacific Ocean islands and in India. All have been exploited as perfume and incense wood as well as for the construction of fragrant furniture, especially in China. The overharvesting was so severe that the trees remain rare to this day.
Hawaiian Sandalwood 4 x 2
The Hawaiian Sandalwood didn’t have a strong odor but close smelling of crushed shavings yielded a mildly sweet scent. The heartwood is a vibrant yellow while the whitish-gray sapwood is clearly demarcated. The Hawaiian Sandalwood turned beautifully and finished easily. My piece of Hawaiian Sandalwood did have some slight insect damage and several checks, but as my regular readers know, this doesn’t bother me in the least.
Both pieces are quite small, measuring no more than 4.5″ in the case of the Koa and 4″ in the case of the Hawaiian Sandalwood.
Koa 4.5 x 1
Both woods have strict restrictions on their harvesting so they are not generally commercially available. The only wood that is legally harvested and sold is that which is insect, disease, or storm damaged. Your best bet for finding either wood is to look for local Hawaiian sellers, especially on eBay, a source I generally distrust but which may be the only option for these scarce woods.
All cuts were made using the Easy Wood Tool system on my Robust American Beauty lathe. Forward chucking was in a Nova Chuck, while reverse chucking was done using a Nova Chuck with Cole Jaws. Sanding was with Gold and Green Wave sanding discs from Packard Woodworks. Final finish is Shellawax.